Insanity
by Snow Phoenix
Summary: Songfic. Ever since they first met, Talida Morserbis & Tom Riddle have been linked by a bond of love. But Tom is now the most powerful and feared wizard in the world, & Talida's terrified to be near him. Where does the line between love and insanity lie?


A/N: Hello! Just a couple of quick things with this fic; 1. The lyrics (lines in italics) are from Oingo Boingo's 'Insanity' and therefore do not belong to me. 2. Talida Morserbis belongs to StarlitAngel64 – don't use her without Starlit's permission! Ok, on with the fic!

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Talida came to and stared around her. She felt groggy – there had definitely been something in that drink… That'd teach her for drinking alone in the dingiest pub in London.

As her vision came into focus, Talida realised where she was. The gravestones rising up from the ground where she lay were chipped, broken, shattered – the scene of a battle.

The freezing February wind whipped Talida's face, sweeping the remaining haze out of her eyes. She suddenly became aware of a cloaked figure standing before her. As she looked slowly upwards, she saw the long, skeletal fingers, the snake-like nose, the red eyes that she knew so well. That she'd once loved, but now made her fear for her life. She'd abandoned him, and now here he was, ready for a fresh attempt on her life. And this time, he might just succeed.

_I'd love to hear you laugh tonight, I'd love to hear you weep. I'd love to listen to you while you're screaming in your sleep._

He'd been there, in her mind, ever since their last meeting. Legilimency, they called it. He's been breaking into her thoughts, watching her laugh, watching her cry. And the nightmares… constant replays of their last meeting, when he'd tied her to her own headstone in this very graveyard. Night after night she awoke, screaming, convinced he was in her room. In her head…

_I'd love to soothe you with my voice and take your hand in mine. I'd love to take you past the stars and out of reach of time._

When they'd first met, when Tom Riddle had come forward 50 years in time, they'd fallen deeply in love. Talida had felt as if her heart was being slowly destroyed as he left her, as he was taken back to his own time by a force he couldn't control. He'd comforted her, soothed her, promised to love her forever. Their love was so deep that it formed a connection between them. A connection Talida couldn't break. A connection that was even strong between her and the adult Voldemort. A connection that was so strong, no amount of Occlumency training could prevent him from entering her mind. He forced her to relive their first meeting, fast-forwarding the memories from the feelings of intense love to the deep seated loss she felt when he was taken from her, messing up her mind, sending her slowly mad…

_I'd love to see inside your mind, to tear it all apart._

A cold hand clasped around Talida's forearm, wrenching her up from the ground and hurling her backwards against the nearest tombstone with surprising force. Pain seared through Talida's spine, so intense that she was convinced she was dying. Her breath was sharp and ragged, her knees were buckling under her, she was on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly, the pain in her back was nothing compared to the sharp, tearing feeling in her mind. There he was, riffling through her memories as if they were nothing but discarded sheets of paper. Every so often, he would take one out and slash it apart as if with a knife. He slowly destroyed every happy memory she'd ever known, all the ones she'd been able to hold onto through her time in Azkaban, the few that the Dementors hadn't sucked out of her.

_To cut you open with a knife and find your sacred heart._

He reached her few memories of love; Molly Weasley embracing her like a daughter; being taken in by her friend's parents who had showered her with gifts and affection; the few short hours she'd spent with Tom… He slashed at them, tearing them apart, turning Talida's mind into a bloodbath. His eyes bore into hers as she desperately searched for one single joyful moment he hadn't destroyed; something, _anything to cling onto, but there was nothing left. All she felt was gloom, depression, despair._

_I'd love to take your satin dolls and tear them all to shreds._

"There's no point in searching Talida, there's nothing left."

The voice hissed through Talida's mind, making her question whether or not she was still conscious. The pain searing through her clouded her vision, Voldemort's face swimming in and out of focus.

"Why?" she croaked in barely more than a whisper. "You loved me, why this?"

"Because you were always too clever for your own good Talida," he hissed back. "Always had to get out when the going got tough. Always had to be in control. Well, I'm in control now. Everything's on _my_ terms."

Voldemort raised his wand, a maniacal smile on his face. Terrified, Talida felt herself floating towards him through mid air. She couldn't prevent it, she was already too weak.

As she came closer to him, Voldemort reached out a hand and gently caressed her cheek. Talida felt disgusted by it, but couldn't move her face away. Voldemort leaned forward slightly so Talida could feel his icy breath on her lips. He was moving closer, he was going to kiss her… Talida desperately tried to decide if she wanted this or not… Mere millimetres from her now, Voldemort whispered in a slow, harsh voice, "I'm only doing this because I love you."

With a bang like a firework, Talida was thrown back once more against the cold stone, tossed away like a rag doll. As her head came into contact with the solid mass, she felt hot blood seeping down the back of her neck.

_I'd love to mess your pretty head_

Knowing she was in the last minutes of her life, Talida attempted to let go, to slip away quietly. But something kept holding her back, wouldn't let her go. He was there, back in her mind, prolonging the agony.

"Let me go," she pleaded. "Please just let me die."

He laughed harshly. "Have you listened to nothing I've said?" he hissed. "Everything is on my terms now. Right down to the moment you leave me forever."

Talida closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her, pleading with him to just let her die. She'd been here before, but this time there was no escape.

"I love you Talida, I've loved you since we first met, I'll love you till the day I die. And this way, I can claim you as mine forever."

'He's mad,' Talida thought. 'He's insane.'

"We must do everything properly, otherwise I'll lose you. This way, I'll be in your mind when you go; we'll be forever linked. Your soul will be mine beyond the grave. I'll never let you go Talida, never."

He passed his hand over his wand. The tip glowed silver as he muttered an incantation. Raising Talida's arm, he drew the wand point across her skin, blood blossoming from the wound it left.

Talida attempted to cry out, but the little voice she had left allowed her only a whisper. Had she had the strength, she would have screamed for all she was worth. She had done the same to herself on countless occasions, but it felt a million times worse with him on the other end of the blade. She watched the blood seep down her arm, knowing what was coming, knowing how it would all end. He was insane, was driving _her_ insane.

He raised the razor-sharp wand tip to her throat. This was it, he'd controlled her, loved her, terrified her and, finally, her life would end with… Insane laughter, maniacal cries and strangled sobs rang out across the hillside.

_I'd love to see you dead._


End file.
